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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24051124">At the End of the Day, You Can Run To Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock'>shockandlock</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flash Fiction Prompts [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Children, Badass Portgas D. Rouge, Family, Gen, Motherhood, Portgas D. Rouge Lives</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:42:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24051124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flash Fiction Prompt: Family</p><p>It doesn't matter that Sabo isn't related to her by blood. As far as she's concerned, she is his mother.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Portgas D. Rouge &amp; Sabo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flash Fiction Prompts [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Women! Wanted Zine: Flash Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>At the End of the Day, You Can Run To Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had the perfect idea for this and I'm proud of how it turned out! Hope you all like it!</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The people within the walls were rather superficial. All it took for Rouge to start her little flower business in town was a decent dress and a pretty face. They were so easily misled by her fragile appearance. No one would have guessed the true strength that lurked beneath, which is why they always warned her whenever certain incidents occurred in town.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those demon brats are back! They’ll rob you blind!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nobles fled in terror, but Rouge just hummed and continued on her way, adjusting her hold on her flower basket. She had heard about the Demon Trio before of course.They’d started terrorizing the town together within the past year with their dine-and-dash mischief. She was hardly in any danger though. They were her precious sons after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other mothers would be appalled. Rouge could imagine what they would say: </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course that poor flower peddler can’t control her children!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>In reality, it was the opposite. Who was she to stop Ace, Sabo, and Luffy’s natural troublemaking tendencies? She taught them well, so they always got away and at least they would be tired out by the time they got home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three blurs rushed by her. “We got away!” she heard Luffy cheer as Sabo and Ace joined in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An unfamiliar voice cut through their celebration. “Sabo? Is that really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge’s three little blurs came to a stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you’re alive!” The unfamiliar man approached, but Rouge stepped between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me,” she said. Her tone was stern, lacking the poisonous, false sincerity she usually directed towards nobility. “What do you think you’re doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Out of my way! That’s my son!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be mistaken.” She held her hand out to Sabo and drew him to her side. Ace and Luffy followed suit. “This is my son.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why, you delusional harlot!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’d know my own son.” She glared straight at him as if trying to pierce him with her gaze. “Why don’t you back off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been a long time, but unleashing her haki felt natural. The man scrambled away. Rouge told her sons to hold onto each other as they rushed home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sabo explained the truth to them that night. He didn’t normally cry, but he was brought to tears when Rouge said, “I don’t care where you came from. You are a part of our family now, my little dragonfly.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please let me know what you think about this or this AU with a comment and make sure to leave kudos on your way out!</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://twitter.com/shockandlock">twitter</a><br/><a href="https://shockandlock.carrd.co/">carrd</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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